Blood proteins may flag disability risk years before loss of independence
Japan has one of the world's fastest-aging populations, but maintaining independence into very old age remains a growing public health challenge. Nearly 60% of Japanese adults aged 85 years and older already receive support through the national Long-Term Care Insurance system, highlighting the need to identify people at risk before disability develops.
In Japan, where the population is rapidly aging, maintaining independence in the very old has become a significant public health concern. Nearly 60% of adults aged 85 and above already require assistance through the national Long-Term Care Insurance system, underscoring the urgency to identify those at risk of developing disability before it occurs.
Despite routine blood tests detecting many age-related diseases, reliable biomarkers to predict future disability in the oldest-old have been scarce. Detecting such markers could enable early interventions, allowing older adults to remain active and independent for a longer period. Researchers at Keio University in Japan, led by associate professor Yusuke Osawa, and collaborating with Professor Yasumichi Arai and Dr. Luigi Ferrucci from the National Institute on Aging, conducted a study to discover potential biomarkers for disability and mortality in community-dwelling adults aged 85–89.
They analyzed blood samples from over 200 participants in Japan using an unbiased data-driven approach and validated their findings in an Italian study. The study revealed that higher levels of beta-2-microglobulin (B2M) and cystatin C were consistently linked with a greater risk of developing disability, even after accounting for various factors such as age, sex, kidney function, lifestyle, and other potential confounders.
Notably, these proteins, which are already measurable through standard clinical assays, provide valuable biological insights. B2M is associated with kidney function and reflects chronic low-grade inflammation, known as "inflammaging," which is increasingly recognized as a driver of age-related decline. Together, these findings suggest that B2M and cystatin C could serve as practical tools for identifying older adults who may benefit from preventive support, potentially shifting healthcare from reactive treatment to proactive prevention, and enabling more individuals to maintain their independence and reduce the burden on long-term care systems worldwide.
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